From creating a fashion brand in 2015 driven by a desire to continually explore the opportunities of creating ethically made garments, to becoming one of the semi-finalists of the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy prize in 2023, today’s man of the week, Faith Oluwajimi is forging a path of cultural exploration.
Faith Oluwajimi
Faith Oluwajimi is a precocious creative visionary and award-winning self-taught Nigerian designer. He is based in Lagos and London and is a creative director and artist. Faith Oluwajimi generously interprets the exuberance of its local milieu, through his works at BLOKE; credited as challenging the relationship between art, culture, and fashion with its well-crafted and experimental offerings. In 2015, at just 19 years old, Oluwajimi self-funded his label, BLOKE. BLOKE is a label that introduces a distinct notion of luxury by bridging contemporary design with a handcrafted sensibility enveloped with an undertone of self exploration. It further champions the values of inclusivity and collaboration which forges a new path of cultural exploration with an avant-garde approach
Few years down the line, in 2019, he participated in the Fashion Focus Fund and Emerge Alara for fashion designers in Nigeria. He was winner at “Emerge Alara” and became a runner-up in Fashion Focus Fund; an award where for the first time, the runner-up became entitled to prize money. This was a reflection of Faith’s artistry and brand’s novel story. These awards will then go on to become few of the many others.
A LVMH Prize 2023 Semi – Finalist
“Generously interpreting the exuberance of its local milieu, Bloke challenges the relationship between art, culture, and fashion with its well-crafted and experimental offerings.”
BLOKE Nigeria
Faith Oluwajimi’s vision that birthed Bloke has gone far beyond the continent to gain the acceptance of a wider audience. His recent win as the only African semi-finalist at the Louis Vuitton Moet Hennessy prize is a testament to this fact.
“All the semi-finalists are anchored in today’s world. The increasing amount of genderless collections is a major trend. Especially for the young generation, for us and for all the experts to consider our business in terms of creation, production, or retail, and help us challenge the boundaries of innovation and creativity.”
Director and Executive Vice President of Louis Vuitton, Delphine Arnault.
The brand’s selection is a reflection of its ability to adapt to this new world. Once again, a reflection of Bloke’s visions.